


It's good to be alive

by CrystalHopeDragon



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Eh kind of, Mourning, Multi, Polyamory, Slow Build, first time at the farm house, lots of time at the farm house, there will be more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-08 17:51:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11651655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalHopeDragon/pseuds/CrystalHopeDragon
Summary: Casey Jones is a man of action, and once he knows what he wants he finds a way to get it. What he wants is both of the people he's interested in, preferably at once. And through the trails they go through, from the Krang invasion to retaking New York, he does find a way to get it. Get them, that is.-----The story where logic prevailes, Casey's sister is a lovable goof, and the world around them gets brighter through the darkness. Because these poor dorks have been through the 7 circles of hell and came out kicking; they've earned a happy ending.





	1. It's good to be alive

For Casey the attraction to both came easy. April was an awesome chick. She was smart, brave, cool, an amazing fighter, and had the choicest piece of ass he'd ever seen. He'd liked her physically from the moment he saw her, and really started falling for her the first time he saw her fight. That night with his first Foot bot fight just sealed the deal.

She'd shown up not because she thought he needed more tutoring, or because she wanted something out of him like many a person has. He'd been befriended by smarter people before, for the sole purpose of trying to get him to play personal bodyguard for them, or get them something they weren't strong enough to obtain. In those situations it was like all they wanted to do was use him, and it pissed him off.

She hadn't though. She'd come to spend time with him, to blow off steam, because she thought he was a good person to hang around - at the very least to release frustration. She hadn't wanted anything from him, and had even tried to protect HIM when the robots attacked. He took one look at her fighting, her leading that small platoon of ninja away, her coming back to try and help - yeah, it was a done deal. This little ball of fire was too good to let go without a fight, and he knew he'd try his hardest to earn her heart. And he hadn't even seen the coolest parts of her life yet back then!

So when he met Donatello, he wasn't worried. He was Casey Jones -Casanova extraordinaire- and he could hold his own against a rival: even a super strong, super smart ninja one. Except that wasn't all Donnie was, as he was quick to find out.

He was funny, in a sarcastic sort of way. He always had a snide comment ready, that quick brain never slowing, and it was amazing to watch - when the joke wasn't at his expense. And even when it was it turned into a challenge, an attempt to one up each other, a rival that tried to not only beat Casey but EXPECTED him to give as good as he got, because April deserved nothing else then their all from both contestants for her affection. He pushed Casey to get smarter, to try harder, to step out of his comfort zone and improve.

He made Casey feel alive.

And then there were the things they had in common. A love for explosives, for one. Donnie loved any kind of science, but the science of destruction had a soft place in his heart just as it did in Casey's. There was nothing more fun to watch than him cackling away as he unleashed his newest weapon on some unsuspecting foot bot or Krang, his mad scientist side showing through in full, unrestrained maniacal glee on his face.

Something that also showed through in his vehicles. Casey Jones had always loved cars. Cars, bikes, scooters, ROCKETS; fast, dangerous forms of transportation gave him an adrenaline rush he couldn't really get anywhere else but a fight. So to see this egghead, this scientific rival create automotive masterpieces before his eyes - well, the first time Casey saw the Turtle Mech, he realized he'd never been more impressed in his life.

And that wasn't even mentioning his physique. Casey Jones wasn't shy, nor a liar, especially not to himself. He knew his own heart well, as well as his...other parts. And Casey Jones had known he was bi since 6th grade, since the muscles started coming in and the locker room got a whole lot more entertaining. As such he wasn't surprised to find himself interested in a male form, though finding the sleek, muscular form of a mutant turtle attractive was a new change of pace. Especially since that form was perfectly trained, honed to be used properly. Maybe that was what was so appealing.

Spending time around the turtles had taught him what kind of fighters existed in the world, and showed him how far he had to go; and while Donnie was far from the best fighter in the world -or his family- he was still extremely good, far better than Casey or April. He was smart and resourceful, using a weapon that specialized in keeping him out of his enemies reach, also using bladed projectile weaponry to deal damage to enemies before they even got close. He had learned how to keep himself safe in a fight, both contributing to the battle while remaining intact so he could do the things he was specifically skilled in later on, like taking out Krang tech.

So he really was the perfect package. Brains, brawn, humor, and a sense of scientific adventure that never tired out. It was no wonder April seemed torn between the two of them. Casey himself was somewhat awestruck by his rival at times. Donnie though didn't seem as enthralled by Casey's presence.

Donnie was never great at hiding his emotions, and his romantic interests and jealousy showed through with no successful filter. Casey's presence would have been fun without April around -they did share some similar interests after all, and having a friend that wasn't a relative was always a nice change of pace- but with his constant pursuit of April as well, Donnie's opinion of him was soured before they even met. Casey never even had a chance to make a good first impression, not that their first meeting would have been one anyway, breaking into the lair and all. So it made sence to Casey that it'd take time for him and Donnie to bond, and it most likely wouldn't happen until Red made a choice.

Or so he thought until the farm house, when close quarters, loss, and similar coping mechanisms had them bonding even around -or maybe even trough- the rivalry; through vehicle repairs and fun little projects, at that. Everyone bonded there, trust building, even if the constant exposure to each other had them all a bit overstimulated. Mikey cooked, did chores, or watched cartoons to relieve stress; Raph's constant vigil over Leo left him numb to the world, and he didn't really start relaxing until a good MONTH after Leo returned to the world of the living. Once he did he flourished in the woodland environment, constantly training, trying to get their fearless leader back to his old self. April had taken a part time job at a diner in town to bring in some funds and would get stress relief later by putting all her anger or exhaustion into training (usually with Donnie, Casey, and once in a while Raph when they managed to pull him outside), until she passed out. That usually led to one of the three functioning family members carrying her to bed. Casey also did some farm jobs nearby for cash, but his stress relief was the same as Don's; locked away in the garage buried elbow deep in oil. Similar relaxation methods had a tendency to make people relax around each other, at least it did in their case. Casey was more than pleased with the change of pace.

Donnie and April bonded at the farm as well; between the constant focus on the cure or training, they always had something to talk on. When the group had their movie time each night (usually some B-rated horror movie to tease or an action movie for April to gush over, or Crognard when Mikey won the pick) (that Raph skipped till Leo woke up), they'd be huddled together on the couch, picking apart the plot of the movie. Casey would add his own input, Mikey would laugh at the terrible graphics, and for a bit things would feel right with the world (even if they were anything but). Normally the two of them acting romantic would make someone jealous, it even made Donnie jealous when Casey and April got too close in New York.

But it didn't, or he didn't. Get jealous, that is. Seeing Donnie and April bonding brought a trill to him, and he realized that was a little strange. Watching their taste testing competitions (brave April willing to try anything, clever Donnie knowing when NOT to dig in), their bonding over molecular chemistry that went straight over his head, or the time they spent focused on training. Even when they were hugging, leaning on each other, or just relaxing and sharing personal space, all he felt was a trill at seeing these two hot pieces of genius in close proximity.

So maybe he had a thing for both of them. At the same time, preferably together. Anyone else might have found it strange, but he was Casey Jones! It'd take two people just to handle his awesomeness. Besides, two people just meant more love to go around, right?

And if he was right, they might both have a thing for him too, as well as each other. In New York it hadn't been as obvious, maybe hadn't even been there yet. At the farm house though...well, there had been moments.

\-----

There had been the ride there, for example. April spent it huddled up to him for comfort, trying to find something stable to cling to in this mess. Him returning the favor as best he could while driving, cause yeah, he was pretty torn up too and that comfort was working both ways. His whole world had just turned into a pink monstrous mess and all he could do was run, clinging to the shattered remains he was able to flee with. His pops, his sister...he shuddered at the thought of what they were going through, clinging to April with his one arm even tighter. They clung to each other, a bit of normalcy in their chaotic world, and promised they wouldn't have to loose any of them, ever again. Staying strong together on the long drive away from home. (Even if at times he had to wonder if it would have been easier to stay back, to fight, to mutate or die rather than feel this loss...he clutched her tighter, grateful for the grounding.)

\-----

There was the time spent in the garage with Donnie. It had started off pretty tense. He stayed at his truck while Donnie worked on some fancy mutagen medicine he hoped would make Leo healthier faster. (Casey had faith in him; as much of a dickwad as he could be, Donnie always managed to come through.) They had ignored each other entirely; until Casey managed to drop the jack on his foot one time, cursing while he heard Donnie cackle in the background. From there it turned from awkward ignorance to causal rivalry, their stalemate turning to jokes and jabs, the air getting less tense with each verbal sparring session. As time went and the constant jokes turned to debates, their projects started to join up, and the jabs became far more friendly; the atmosphere became far more pleasant, and it started to feel more like they were friends than rivals. And the looks. When Donnie got really excited, or contemplative, or angry. When he was rapped up in a project with Casey, arguing about methods or details, the looks he gave Casey... He'd give anything to always have those looks turned his way. They were nothing and yet exactly like the looks he gave April, just as passionate but far more violent, rebellious. And engulfing.

That's when Casey knew he had it bad, and Casey Jones was a man of action; once he knew what he wanted, he found a way to get it.

\-----

Any training session revealed far more about the three of them's interest then Donnie's brothers probably ever wanted to see. Leo and Raph spent most of training focused fairly heavily on each other, though they sparred with the others a bit too. Mikey was flitting around so much between opponents that he surely didn't notice much about any of them, just enjoying the adrenaline and flow. Casey though, Casey watched his partners, his interests. He watched how quickly April improved, he sparred and competed and fought tooth and nail with Donnie, enjoying the adrenaline rush. And when they underestimated her, Red would take the advantage and sweep in, taking them both down together. The other two might not have noticed it, but when training started, they seemed to zone in on each other, focus entirely on their trio. Any sparing with the other three always threw them back into their trio fight eventually. Casey sure as hell wasn't complaining though, because when training started and they focused in, the sweaty, strong muscles fighting and skin contact increasing...well. It was a good day to be alive.

\-----

Donnie and April were quite obviously bonding as well. After the Bigfoot incident and Donnie's near complete confidence drop, April started kissing him as a reward regularly. Casey wasn't sure what the catalyst had been, her realizing she was interested in him when he nearly gave up (for both her comfort and the safety of his own heart, and god did that scare Casey half to death, thinking for a moment that they were going to drift apart), or just realizing she wasn't being affectionate enough if he nearly drew away in hurt, but it became a constant. (Donnie may not have realized it, but Red had grown up pretty alone, not many friends because of all the moving. She wasn't that great with showing affection, didn't mean to spook him when she ran from the expression of it that the jewelry box was. Casey saw it though, saw how worried she was by his response. She was getting better, she had to if she didn't want to hurt someone. Expressions of love don't have to be big, but they do need to exist for others to see them. She had chosen kissing as hers, and he wasn't complaining. He got some too.)

She even kissed Donnie right in front of him, as shown after the dream weasels incident. And speaking of a scare, that one nearly did Casey in, the sight of Donnie sitting there, April panicking because his heart had just stopped...he wanted to kiss him too, the relief so palpable after that one.

So he did.

After they got the crazy old man back to his shop, left him to get some well earned sleep and maybe some sanity back, he turned around and grabbed Donnie, smooching him on the opposite cheek from the one April had. Giving him a cheeky grin, he enjoyed the stunned, confused, and somewhat flustered look on Donnie's face. He was gaping at him, lost for words. "Good to know that's one way to shut you up." And before Donnie's indignation reached a boiling point and he missed the point, Casey added. "But it's even better to know you're okay." Donnie flushed at that, clearly not knowing how to take it.

Apparently he took it with a hint of cynicism, because before they even got fully into the car, Casey heard, "Don't think that kiss is going to make me let my guard down, Jones."

Casey just grinned, "I hope not, you know I like a challenge."

And Donnie took it as one. While April still gave Donnie a regular kiss as a reward, managing to give Donnie one became Casey's reward, as he had to weasel, worm, and slither his way to the goal.

It made it ten times better in the end.

It was good to be alive.

\-----

April and Casey shared their first real kiss after the "mother incident". Casey had been the one to stick beside her the whole time, backing up her decision the entire way. He couldn't have done anything else, cause he was probably the only one who understood.

The guys were great, and they could all relate on the missing father's note, but the turtles never really had a mother. Just a picture of a woman who could have been one, if given the chance.

Casey knew though, knew that aching loss of having that soft, warm comfort, that precious person ripped from you. Maybe that's why he ignored the signs Mikey saw so easily, didn't fight until it was obvious the creature wasn't who they hoped she was. He wanted it to be her, wanted April to have that hole filled, the one he never could have repaired himself.

The one that grew within him when he saw his mother for the last time in that casket, the makeup making her look far tanner than she ever had in her hospital bed, or normally before that even. The one he saw grow in April again, sitting at that table, re-suffering a loss they'd both endured long ago. And when he hugged her close, not saying anything, trying to comfort her as best he could, he got the lovely surprise of her lips on his, a quiet "Thank you" mumbled as she pulled away. He didn't have to ask for what, he knew, and he'd do it as many times as he could, anything to make that everlasting hole feel a little smaller for both of them.

\-----

There were some things that took more work than Casey would like to admit, like actually addressing the romance issue, or April's distaste for his and Donnie's arguments. They never talked about it though, mainly because the other two hadn't seemed to realize what Casey had. They seemed to think they had to choose a partner and we're just putting it off so they wouldn't loose the other option. For geniuses they could really be slow on the uptake, like the fact that they do better as a trio than this awkward three way love triangle.

And if they actually addressed the former issue of talking the latter would be solved too. After all, whether they were arguing during sparing or on their way back from the grocery store, it was far from hostile. If April knew what she was looking for, she might actually realize it was mostly foreplay at this point. She'd realize that anyway if she ever listened to them play the abc insults game, cause once they ran out of the kosher ones and got into Dickwad, Eggsack, Fuckface, ...yeah, the insults weren't always family friendly, and they tended to show how far their minds had hit the gutter.

\-----

Of course, for all the good bonding moments they had, the ones that showed how close they were getting, there were the ones that showed the downsides of that too.

Like the time Casey went after speed demon alone, ditching Donnie in the process. If it had been like it was back in New York Donnie would have shrugged it off, called him an idiot, and berated him for ruining his work. It wasn't like back then though, and they'd fixed that car together, so when Casey had ditched him for that chase, broke their work...Donnie was actually pretty hurt. It showed how much more he cared, but it also made Casey feel like an ass, because knowing that what he did could actually hurt Donnie now...well, it made when he messed up like that even worse. And since he knew he'd always be impulsive, manage to mess up on things like this at least once in a while, and it was because of a part of his personality he actually liked, welllllll......

Casey Jones got good at apologizing, and he did it fast. "Sweet scientific genius" might have been a bit of overkill, but it worked, didn't it? Besides, two birds with one stone. He appealed to Donnie's ego and got him to forgive him, as well as got him on his side again to take down the mutant maniac. Working together on the Hot Rod is what had helped them bond, and fixing it up with awesome Krang tech was just what they needed to fix the small rift. Messing up wasn't a goal, but if Casey had to fuck up he'd make sure he fixed every rift they had, to the point their relationship got better after each, if he could. And for this one in particular, it sure did.

After planning and chasing, after gaining a victory against the Speed Demon and then nearly loosing Donnie to it as its new driver, after Casey abandoning his excessive pride and admitting Donnie meant a hell of a lot more to him than any race, with all that adrenaline still pumping from the fight, well...

Casey had to assume Donnie had been thinking of their relationship as well, because after they got done gushing over the battle, as April and Raph bonded over fond exasperation of their friends, Donnie didn't even hesitate as he grabbed Casey by the straps of his suit and laid a wet one right on his lips. Casey was so stunned he didn't even get to respond before Donnie pulled away, grinning. "This whole day has been crazy and brilliant and yeah, you earned that one." He said as he pulled back.

He heard a thud and looked over to see Leo had fainted. Raph had caught him but was still gawking at the scene, Mikey was 'whoop'ing in joy, and April was flat out stunned, and from the look on her face, maybe even a little jealous.

"Fork it up Raph! Don't forget the chicken coop later eiitherrrrr. And now, for ma victory dance!" Mikey shouted as he 'woo woo'ed his away around Raph as he grumbled and pulled a $50 out of his shell.

"How the hell did you even guess that?" Leo asked, standing up from Raph's support as he finally came to and saw the exchange of cash.

"How could I not? You two would have too if you hadn't spent the last month rapped up in each other. Casey's been catching Don's lips at every chance he can, and their competition over April has gone from violent to friendly. I think Casey's trying to push for a Ménage à trois." Mikey stage whispered the last sentence.

Raph blinked in confusion, Leo blushed, and April just gawked a little more as she turned back to face her boys. Not HER boys, but, uh...o who was she kidding.

"How do you even know that phrase?" Donnie blinked, staring at Mikey with his own suprise.

"Internet, dawg! Got curious after you three started all the foreplay." That made April blink.

"Wait, the fighting! Please don't tell me all that was you two's way to tease each other." Donnie at least had the decency to look chagrined, while Casey just grinned proudly.

"I love a good challenge." He said with a grin as April walked up, both her and Donnie groaning at the corny line.

"How did I fall for such ridiculous boys?" She asked, not even bothering to deny it at this point.

"The Casey Jones charm, it's irresistible."

"More like irritating." Donnie said with a grin, before turning cautiously to April. "So, uh, what do you think? You don't have to, of course, it's just a dopey idea Casey brought up - but it does seem like it would work, and we could all be happy together! Even if it is a little strange-" Donnie's rambling was cut off by a quick lip peck from April, his brain shorting out for a moment.

"It works wonders at shutting him up, don't it?" Casey said with a crooked grin.

"Yes, it does." April all but purred, a pleased smile on her face. "It sounds perfect Donnie, don't worry. I think it would be the best option for all of us. Besides, who wants a normal life anyway?" April said with a grin, shooting Casey a side glance, the inside joke not missed as he returned the look.

Donnie didn't get the hidden sentiment, but he got the more apparent one. A happy turtle was he, with his two happy partners beside him.

It was good to be alive.

\-----

Leo had been skating around them all week. Not that he disapproved! He'd outright stated he was happy for them. It was just a little...much for him to take in at once. He'd been in a coma for three months, and as a result missed most of the bonding between the group. He hadn't even thought Donnie had a chance with April back then, much less entertained any idea about romantic attachments between him and Casey. So going from that strained, impossible environment, to this lovey dovey, friendly, joke filled, happy environment.

Well, he felt left out.

The other two had at least some hint. Raph had been at his tubside most of the time he was out, so missed the main parts of it too, and just like Leo had been absorbed in training and his recovery upon his awakening. He had the bet though. Mikey had given it away, or at least hinted at it being possible when he bet Raph over the relationships future existence. Raph may not have taken him seriously, but because of that bet it at least wasn't a completely foreign concept to him upon its reveal. It had been for Leo.

And Mikey knew literally everything! Between watching them during training (all of them apparently, no one had even suspected), to letting his chickens into the barn so he could follow and spy (decent excuse preset for when caught), to cooking meals for them and spending time watching shows with them, he payed attention as it built. So it was not only unsurprising for him when it happened, but a joyous occasion. The drama was over! Booyakasha!

And once he had time to settle and roll the idea around for a bit, Leo could see why it was such a nice thing. It really was the happily ever after for them, or as close as they could get in their crazy, messed up lives. He just...didn't know how to address it. So he didn't. He ignored it and avoided them for a good week, and when Donnie started to look hurt and April and Casey slightly violent, he knocked that back to just not mentioning it. The angry glares laid off when he stopped avoiding them, but he could tell they were more cautious around him then the others. So one day at breakfast (jalapeño, anchovy, and pizza omelets a la Mikey) he just flat out stated, "Avoiding an issue doesn't solve anything, and I've been avoiding this one for too long. I don't care about your relationship guys, I just don't know what to say."

He got a surprised look from the whole table, but a glare from Casey, "Why avoid us then dude? Doesn't seem very accepting to me."

"I was confused, okay? When I went under you and Donnie were fighting tooth and nail over April, not an ounce of love lost between you. Coming back to you two laughing and joking and kissing each other, it was a bit of a shock. Can you blame a turtle for taking time to figure it out? I missed most of the important stuff, after all, so sorry for taking my time."

Casey looked assuaged at that, even if Raph looked a bit violent towards Casey now at bringing up WHY Leo would be confused. The coma wasn't something they all liked to think about, Raph the least. Leo being out hit him the hardest.

"It's fine Leo," April responded while the atmosphere was still salvageable, "We're just happy you're understanding."

"If he wasn't we'd a had ta beat it into him. It ain't going away, and neither are you, so it was time to adjust." Casey said with a teasing growl, following it with a grin.

"Eh." Raph just shrugged. "What I don't see I don't care about. Keep the PDA away and I won't have to beat YOUR asses."

"O like you aren't guilty enough of it." Casey said with a grin.

"And what's that supposed to mean?!"

"O, nothing!"

They kept bickering, but unbeknownst to anyone but the two involved, Raph was actually relieved. While not avoiding them like Leo, he had been distant. Not from confusion, but a bit of worry. He wondered if them dating meant he would drift from his best friend, one of his only friends really.

Casey ACTUALLY got him, the barely controlled anger and awkward emotions and sudden impulses. The preference for ruff housing and adrenaline pumping to most kinds of mental stimulation. The joy of a good fight and a job well done. Not just the broad dedication and violence Slash thought Raph ran on, but the actual joy of the chase and the people he was protecting in doing so that actually kept Raph going. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost that because of this change in situation - this change in Casey; but by the bickering and unconcealed words, Casey hadn't really changed that much at all. So if they could stay the same, he wasn't too worried about the rest of their world changing. Things had to change, it was a given, him and Leo had been changing for a while now. Still, when Casey sent him a knowing grin, he grinned back. For all the things that changed, as long as he had his friends and brothers to protect and be beside...well, he'd be fine.

\-----

April had once said they under-appreciated Mikey, and at the moment Casey was inclined to agree. Besides doing most of the cooking and cleaning (though admittedly most of the mess was Mikey's fault anyway) and taking care of the chickens and farm, he also did more emotional support than anyone really gave him credit for.

When they had first gotten to the farm he'd been the one to not only make Raph's meals but drag him out for fresh air and friend time. He was the one who picked and prodded at April and Casey so they couldn't dwell on their missing families, too annoyed at him to focus on their problems. He was the one who brought Donnie coffee and made sure he got sleep (at least once every three days, it's the rule!), so he would be able to function again the next day. He was the one to add energy and life to the mourning farm house, keeping them all from sinking into depression. And they hadn't thought much of it at the time, just thinking Mikey was being his usual goofy self, but in hindsight Casey realized that must have taken a lot of effort.

He HAD just lost his dad too, the only parent he'd ever known. His eldest brother and leader was down for the count, no sign of waking anytime soon. His remaining brothers and friends were sinking under the weight of the losses. And what did he do? Stand tall, keep them physically healthy, and piss them off so bad that they forgot their problems. When he was surely suffering from his own losses too.

Casey knew one day the boy would break, need comforting too (he'd already been the strongest of them all, he'd earned that moment of weakness, whenever he chose to take it), but at the moment he was just grateful for another far too intuitive batch of generosity and comrodery. His partners and him had been, well, uh, let's say antsy the last few days. And for multiple reasons there were certain things it wasn't safe to do in the woods around here, and privacy in the farm house was hard to come by. So Mikey volunteering himself and Leo for a game of turtle hunt, first caught has to clean the chicken coop (not that there was much left after Raph lost that bet), well...

Between the fact he hated turtle hunt, and the fact he left the trio out, it was obvious what he was doing. Casey wasn't complaining, that's for sure. No one really commented on it either, except for on the way out when Raph said, "Casey?"

"Yeah dude?"

"Not the couch."

Casey Jones loved a challenge.

So while the guys were away, it was THEIR bonding time...

It's good to be alive.

\-----


	2. Time Flies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to New York was always going to be tough, but so were they; Casey knew they'd be fine. 
> 
> It didn't make the rescue mission, future conflicts, time traveling adventures, or their semi public reveal any less difficult though.
> 
> Time flies when you're trying to survive.

When they finally left the farm, Casey felt free. He liked the farm itself, don't get him wrong! He had just made some of his absolute favorite memories there! He just...didn't like what it had represented, not this time at least. It had embodied their failure, the people they'd lost, the injuries and need to hide. Leaving it this time meant going back out into the world, facing the things they'd run from, choosing to be brave again. It made him feel strong, powerful, in control once more. So Leo being a 'Ninja only' dick about missions or not, knowing they were back in New York, back to world saving and helping... It made him feel whole again, in a way even his partners couldn't. He hadn't realized until the farm how much this hero business had become a part of him, how much he'd started tying his self worth to New York's safety. 

Getting Splinter back was tough, but so, so worth it. It was the first step, the first real victory they'd gotten in a while against the Shredder. Not to mention a giant comfort. They may not pay it much mind all that often, but they ARE still teenagers. World saving or not, most kids their age had two or more adults helping guide them through the tougher decisions on the regular. Them? Not so much. All their adult supervision was either mutated or dead, Splinter wasn't even in his right mind when they found him. So having a sane, breathing adult around again? It truly did help take some of the burden off.

The new base was nice, homey. Even more cramped then the farm house, if possible. (The six, sorry, SEVEN of them were never getting personal space again, were they?) It would get even more cramped Casey realized if they ever saved Karai, but for the weight it would lift off Sensei and Leo? Eh, yeah, he could give up a couple more feet of room. 

Everyone seemed to have mixed feelings about her. 

Donnie didn't know what to think, instead just focusing on his cure. 

April was still a bit resentful towards her for all the tricks she'd pulled in the past. 

Raph did NOT trust her, (would rather toss her, beat her, ANYTHING other than trust her) but seemed to be willing to deal with her for his family's sake. 

Mikey wanted another sister. No seriously! The family had already basically adopted Casey and April (not just through Donnie either, but in general), but Mikey was the only one so far willing to call himself Karai's brother. He really was far more social then anyone else in their group, it kind of made sense he'd be the one pushing for more family and friends, but for him to trust her? It was still a bit surprising. 

Leo was fucking obsessed, smitten didn't even cover it. He was dead determined to get her back at all costs. 

Sensei just wanted his daughter back.

Casey hadn't met her. All he had was hearsay, no personal experience to form an opinion from. Still didn't have any experience by the end of the invasion, as it seemed they might never manage to get her back at this rate.

Speaking of which...

 

\-----

Casey was pissed. Completely, utterly peeved. They ditched him! Leo was still on his ninja only kick it seemed, because when it came time for the big, final battle, he was at home scrounging for medical supplies and guarding the unconscious Intel guy with April and Sensei. 

And after it was all said and done he was the one still playing cleanup on the crime, while April played cleanup for the people. There was so much work to get done, and where were the guys?! Cleaning up their home. 

He got it, he did. They deserved a minute to breath after all that. But there was a lot of shit that still needed to get done, and they could rest AFTER that. So maybe he was angry, and got a bit reckless with the whole Shredder incident. He'd proved himself though, hadn't he? Proved what he could do. That he could spy, gather Intel, track, and fight just fine on his own. Yeah he wasn't the muscle like Raph or the brains like Donnie, but he could blend in A LOT better obviously, and knew how to use his aim, explosives, and flexibility to his advantage. He couldn't stand it when they forgot that, forgot he could take care of himself. Forgot that though he might not be as great a fighter as them, he was still a team asset in a fight. They remembered now, but he hoped he didn't have to remind them of this every six months for it to stick. It was getting annoying. 

Donnie's response to it...not so much.

Casey had just stepped through the door to the lair when he got pinned to the wall, Donnie's hands on either side of his head. "Walk. Away." Donnie growled at his staring brothers. Mikey and Raph walked away whistling; Raph with his arms behind his head, arms swinging unnaturally stiffly for Mikey. Leo gave Donnie a warning look, but headed inside anyway. Donnie turned back to Casey and- "WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING? WERE YOU TRYING TO GET YOUR ASS KILLED? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS WHEN WE FOUND YOU? SHREDDER HAD YOU PINNED!" He stopped for a second, panting, took a deep breath and- "YOU IDIOT! I WAS WORRIED SICK! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN MURDERED OR BUTCHERED OR TOSSED INTO THOSE RIDICULOUS VATS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT WAS?!" One more breath- "YOU MORON!" Then there were lips on his, hard and demanding. Casey responded enthusiastically, not expecting such a pleasant sensation in the middle of his -admittedly well earned- lecture. He felt a hand grab his side, pulling him close as the other knocked his mask off his forehead. He grabbed onto Donnie's shoulders, trying to massage some of the tension out of them as he kissed back forcefully. Donnie's other hand landed on the small of his back, pulling them together roughly. 

Just as things were starting to heat up, Donnie pulled back panting. "You stupid, reckless, brave idiot." He whispered as he sat his head on Casey's shoulder.

"But I'm your idiot." Casey responded, soft smile on his face. "Besides, I know I can always count on you guys in a pinch." He tilted Donnie's head up, grinning, "just like you all can count on me, right?" 

"Yeah," Donnie mumbled, "Yean we can." He got in one more quick kiss before reluctantly pulling away. "I gotta go, I still need to finish analyzing that chemical you found. You, April, and I will be having a long talk later though, got it?" He said with one last warning glance before walking away, not giving Casey a chance to respond, hips unintentionally -maybe- swaggering as he left.

"Yeah." Casey mumbled anyway, legs finally giving out and sinking to the floor for a sec. "Damn I'm a lucky guy."

\-----

Casey was rolling on the floor; actually rolling on the floor.

"It's not that funny." April grumbled out, face buried in a couch pillow.

"It really, really is." Casey said, no longer laughing but still wheezing in breaths. "You got grounded. By Splinter." He glanced at the pouting Mikey staring in vain at the blank television, the shadow of Raph working out in the dojo, and Leo showing his most valiant effort to ignore Casey for his comic book. Donnie didn't even put in that effort, glaring directly at his boyfriend over the top of the marine biology textbook he recently got his hands on. "ALL of you."

"How can he even do that?" April grumbled. "To me, at least. He isn't technically MY parent."

"But your dad did agree to it," Leo inclined, "still amazed that he's letting you stay here for the grounding, all things considered."

"Splinter seemed adamant on that." Donnie said drolly. "Something about her participating in the extra training."

"That I can still feel." She whimpered out, burying her head further in her pillow.

"Welcome to the club." Mikey joked, though the intent was genuine.

"Plus, Mr. O doesn't exactly have all the things to consider." Casey added on, as he finally managed to stop wheezing and sit up.

"What?" Mikey asked, finally turning around. 

Leo just groaned. "Please, please tell me you three aren't keeping April's dad out of the loop on this. Parental secrets always lead to trouble with us, present situation included."

"O, so I CAN introduce you all to my dad?" Casey asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"That's different!" Leo responded, exasperated. "He doesn't even know we exist. Mr. O'neil does, and happens to be highly paranoid. He sees April sneaking around and acting suspicious, he'll assume the worst. Like, alien invasion worst. We don't need him having another attack." They all knew April's dad had been far from mentally stable since the invasion, but...

"That's a low blow, Leo." Donnie growled out, turning to his brother. "You darn well know not everyone would react as ...nicely, as Sensei did."

Splinters reaction to their relationship had been painful mentally, but not so much emotionally. 

He'd only found out because the three couldn't seem to be in the same room for more than 10 minutes without some form of physical contact, and this had ended in him walking into the lab one day to find April sandwiched between the two in a fairly...awkward and horrifying position for a parent to walk in on them in. It had resulted in him saying he was very glad his son was happy, and that he wasn't worried about how he found said happiness. What was the painful part? The part where he said that happiness or no, safety came first, and sat them down for the most humiliating safe sex talk in existence. Don still cringed at the memory. He had a feeling Sensei did that JUST to embarrass them; he knew perfectly well that Donnie knew all that information. 

"True, but do you really expect that cruel reaction from Mr. O'neil? Paranoid or not, he loves his daughter. I think you're all underestimating him if you are keeping it from him for that, especially you April." Leo looked down at her sharply.

April growled, finally glancing up at the boy sitting next to her pillow. "Okay, let's step back for a moment. Stop with the condescending glare. First of all, you have no right to tell me how I should react with MY father. Second, he is still unstable from the invasion and YOU all mutating him, so he may react negatively in fear. And third, what if I don't WANT him to know? Dads always been overprotective, do you really think he wouldn't be about me dating? He can find out on his own time, cause I sure don't plan on telling him before I'm 18 and independent." Only a little over a year to go, after all.

Leo had scooted away a bit, but his glare softened. Angry or not, she did make some good points. "Fine. Just be careful, okay? I don't want anyone hurt, and that includes you and your dad. Emotions are fragile, as is trust, YOU know that."

"Squish, squish." Mikey mumbled and mimed in the background.

She did know; she was the one who took off on THEM, after all. She was the one who got hurt, the one they had to rebuild trust with, the one who had to rebuild trust with them after she ditched them.

"I will be." She said softly. Donnie had walked over during the talk and put a hand on her shoulder at that comment. She smiled up at him before sitting up, making room for him to sit next to her. She snuggled into his side as Casey moved to sit between their legs on the floor, leaning back against them. Donnie mumbled out, "It'll all be fine, some things just need time." To a squeeze on the leg from Casey and a hug from April in agreement. Time: Something they all treasured after how often they'd nearly lost theirs, and something she hoped they had plenty of left.

Still...

\-----

Casey had made a point. Everyone else's family was in the loop but his. His dad and sis were so far out of the loop he couldn't even ever find them during invasions or catastrophes. So the solution? 

"Emily, I have someone I want you to meet." Baby steps. Start with the more accepting family member.

He'd told his sister he had a big surprise for her. Curious little Emily, only 9 years old, went along with the blindfold game and let her brother carry her outside. She was just as adventurous as he, there was no way she was turning down a surprise from her kick butt older brother, especially over some silly old blindfold. Besides, it made the secret even more exciting.

"This is Donatello, me and Ape's boyfriend. We're all together. Um, no screaming, K?" And the blindfold came off. In front of her stood a six foot something TURTLE. Huh.

She didn't scream. She squealed. "This is SO cool! What ARE you? And what's with the staff? Are those THROWING STARS? Are you some kind of ninja? I love ninja! Big bro and I watch action movies with them all the time! This is SO awesome!" She was practically crawling on him at this point in her enthusiasm, circling and examining Donnie in her excitement. She seemed to have missed or just not cared about the boyfriend part.

He looked a little stunned, frozen in surprise at this *ahem* energetic young human, but he still managed to smile awkwardly and respond. "I'm a mutant turtle, yes I'm a ninja, and that's very cool. I watch movies with my brothers as well. Would you like to watch them with all of us sometime? My three brothers, Casey, April, and I?"

"Yes!" She squealed, finally tackling him. Casey just chuckled, he knew that was coming. "Only the cool ones though, with the fighting and explosions. Micheal Bay makes the BEST movies!" Casey grinned and held back a laugh as he saw Donnie resist the groan on its way up. Donnie and April had that LOVELY debate all the time. April was quite fond of the technical aspect of Bay's movies, even at the cost of story (science junk aside, Casey knew she just loved explosions. It's part of what made her so excited when he fought.). Donnie could appreciate the CGI but couldn't tolerate a piece of media without decent intellectual content (or so he swears, his enjoyment of Crognard may speak otherwise; or may just show how strongly Mikey actually has them all rapped around his fingers). 

"Whatever you say, pumpkin." He said with a strained grin, picking the happy little girl up and swinging her onto his shoulders. She giggled in delight, clinging to his head. "So, movie night?" He asked, glancing at his boyfriend.

"Movie night." Casey agreed, heading to the nearest manhole cover. 

He sighed happily as he watched Donnie crawl down first, entertaining his rambunctious sister. 

He loved his family; all of it.

\-----

Fights were common for them; injuries were common for them. Being poisoned wasn't that uncommon for them; Casey getting kiss poisoned was. Flirting was one thing - it was meaningless and fun, a goofy confidence boost- but getting kissed by someone else kinda felt like cheating. And Casey Jones is many things, but he ain't no cheater. So he told Donnie once he woke up what happened, to which he shrugged. Casey hadn't instigated the kiss, and Karai had been mind controlled, so no harm done; logically it was no ones fault, and Shredder surely hadn't planned for that scenario. April was a little less understanding.

"I'm going to murder her." She said with a blank face, turning towards the door. 

"Now dear," Donnie started, intercepting naturally, "She isn't herself. That serum takes away all free will, she has no control of her actions."

"But her personality does affect her behaviors. She just did what she'd normally do when poisoning an enemy; and as that enemy was our BOYFRIEND, pardon me DEAR while I exact punishment for her crude tactics." April responded with an overly sweet smile, weaseling her way to the right around him, just to get stopped by him again. Casey stayed out of it; he was brave, not stupid. He was the one kissed, defending Karai would just increase April's rath.

"How about this?" Donnie asked, obviously weaseling, "We free Karai, and then you two have your death match. After all, is it really a fair fight when she's not herself?"

"Sensei taught us fair doesn't matter in a fight, winning does. Our lives matter most." April growled out.

"When trying to stay ALIVE, not when getting revenge. There is a difference between being fair and being honorable, but this is neither. April," Donnie whispered carefully, stepping close, "We all know the consequences of running into battle on impulse. We learned from those mistakes, right?"

She sighed, finally looking down and just sitting her head on his chest. "Right." She mumbled out. She'd settle that feud later; for now, she had more important things to do. Like make sure her family was all okay. But God dammit, why did he have to be so smart? "Your logic is going to kill me one day, you know that right?"

Donnie just chuckled, "I'd love to see the scenario behind that."

She just shrugged, "It'll probably have something to do with Mikey."

\-----

They met their mom. 

Casey didn't know all of what had happened, just that they'd time traveled and stopped some time-space villian, got stuck in a couple different time periods, and got lost in Tokyo for a few days back in the 90's. If anyone else had told him that, he'd at least doubt the reliability of their word. With them? He's surprised it wasn't crazier. 

They'd been sullen since they got back, only acting truly cheerful when spending time with Splinter. Raph had buried himself in his training, Leo was meditating, Mikey hadn't left the kitchen in days, stress cooking a banquet. It was like they were trying to avoid something, forget something. At first he hadn't known why, they'd won after all, right! Then Mikey mumbled something about poor Tang Shen and a cute baby Miwa, and he had a pretty good idea. He'd only ever heard them say those names a few times, but considering the effect they had on them all, they were hard to forget.

Donnie in particular looked thoroughly torn up. He'd been so focused on keeping history together, not getting erased or loosing his loved ones to a time change, that he hadn't thought of the ramifications it would have on him morally. He'd just stood there, trying to reason carefully to avoid abnormalities, knowing that if everything went as usual his father's wife would die. The woman they had grown up considering their missing mother, he'd let her down. It might have been the best thing for history (no them meant no Earth, though they didn't really know how thoroughly true that was until later) but for their family? He'd just stood by and let their greatest tragedy happen. Greater good or not, it was seriously screwed up. HE was seriously screwed up. 

And in that state of self loathing is how April and Casey found him. Hurt, depressed, and self deprecating. It ended up with April grabbing the heated water bed (designed by Donnie for cold winter nights for cold blooded turtles), Casey picking up a jumbo expresso from Starbucks (two cream, no sugar, his favorite), and them forcibly pulling Donnie out of his lab to his room to be buried between his two comforting lovers. 

If he wanted to talk, fine, if not, fine. He sure as heck wasn't burying himself in his own misery alone though, they'd make sure of it. April was tempted to ask, but Casey shook his head before she could. Donnie wasn't the kind of guy you could force to say something he didn't want to, they knew that; Stubbornness ran in their genes. Wanting to help or not, the only way he would speak was if they were patient, no matter how much his pained silence hurt them; it showed thoroughly on April's worried face. Casey bit his lip and bore it though. He'd do anything for his family; even die of tension.

Or boredom. 

He thought Donnie had fallen asleep (miraculously, because he did finish the fricken expresso) as he hadn't spoke in two hours. Casey was just about to drift himself (the heated bed really was cozy) when he finally heard, "She was prettier in person."

Casey snapped to attention at that, zooming in on his watery eyed lover.

"O, D..." April mumbled, burying her face in his neck, holding him close as she tried not to cry herself. Casey just curled around the back of his shell. 

"I always wondered. The picture in the dojo is so formal, she looked nicer in the small causal shot he has. Friendlier. She WAS friendly. Once she knew we wouldn't hurt her, she took us in like it was nothing. Fed us, talked to us. Leo spent the whole time cuddling a baby Karai." He laughed, tears slowly falling as he buried his face in April's neck. He mumbled through her hair, "I should have saved her, we should have. But if we did, we wouldn't exist, I'd never have met you, we wouldn't have been here to save the world...but Shin...but MOM..." And he chocked, shaking, tears soaking into April's night shirt. "We always wanted her as a mom, she would have been a great mom. Why was everything conspiring against it?!" He wailed, sliding down to hide his face in her stomach, clutching onto her sides. 

They were quiet a bit as Donnie continued sobbing into April's shirt, Casey holding him tight from behind. Casey didn't know what to say. He knew how it felt, remembered the sweet, soft woman who had only got so much time to raise him. The loving eyes and gentle touches. She'd have been a great parent -far better than their dad- but the world had other ideas. Telling of his own pain wouldn't make Donnie's hurt any less though. 

"Life isn't fair." April finally said, caressing his smooth head as she spoke soothingly, "It asks for more than any should give, and makes us choose impossible things. You had to choose, there wasn't an option, and it was going to hurt either way. But though you all still don't have her -couldn't keep her-, think of what you DO have, hm?" She hummed, pretending to think as Donnie finally glanced up. "You have your brothers, safe and sound, if gloomy too. You have your dad, that you SAVED by doing this, loving and strong, who raised you with all he had. You have us," She whispered, tilting his head up to look into her eyes, rubbing her thumbs along his cheekbones. "Loyal and stubborn, who aren't leaving you for anything." She pecked his mouth at this, turning to give Casey a quick kiss as well, before continuing her focus on Donnie. "And you have all this, because you made the hard choice, and let your mother rest in peace. And we'll get Karai back, somehow, and make this even better of a future to live in. Do you think that kind woman would enjoy that? Enjoy knowing her tragedy still managed to lead to so much joy?" 

And Casey fell in love, all over again. Because April might not be as smart as Don, but her eloquence, the comfort she could put into words, was something that could be stronger than any logic. Even if, admittedly, she was using logic to make it work. Logic always did work best with Donnie after all, even in an emotional conflict; and she knew that. This sweet, tricky, strong woman was someone he once more promised he'd never let go of, stand strong beside to the bitter end.

And Don...brilliant, goofy, energetic Donnie. Casey promised to himself he'd help bring a smile back to his face, to match the light April put back in his eyes. Because he loved him too, for very different reasons, and he wouldn't be settled until he had him all back from his world of pain. So when Don looked up, hopeful again but not smiling, and whispered a quiet "maybe...", Casey let go of his hug to jump on them both, eliciting groans and ire from both of them as he settled comfortably (more like awkwardly) on them both.

"Of course she would be. She'd be so proud of all a ya, especially Splinter. And she'd a loved ya if she coulda, you know that. After all, with that big ol' brain of yours, what's not to love?" He grinned as he rubbed Donnie's slick scalp, earning a bat and scowl, but he could see the smirk trying to push through. Just a little more..."Aha, is that a smile I see creeping up? And the awesome Casey Jones scores again! And the crowd goes wild! Ahhhh!" And as he faked an ego trip, whispering fan cheers, goofing off, he saw that beautiful grin once more overtake his lovers face, as April looked at him with a soft smile and giggle of her own. Jackpot.

Unbeknownst to him, that smile was filled with wonder. Wonder at the two amazing, supportive, distracting, goofy boys she'd found. Casey didn't always know what to say, but he always knew how to help. And as he and Donnie roughhouse and laughed for the first time in days, she couldn't help but feel overjoyed and relieved. It would be okay. THEY'D all be okay. It'd take time for the family to pull itself back together, but they'd do it. And in this world of few wonders, she clung to this beautiful one, these beautiful two, that she'd managed to find.

\-----

Three hours later, after Donnie had conked out with April at his side, Casey got up and headed to the dojo. Donnie may be his boyfriend, but Raph was still his best friend, and his best friend needed to crack some skulls to relax. It was time for an early morning patrol. 

\-----

The turtles had been seen.

Well, in all fairness, the turtles had been seen a lot before this point. Everything from their first defense during the Krang invasion, the New York rescue mission, to Jody trying to paint them as child eating monsters from one blurry photo; random people had seen them plenty. 

This was just the first time someone caught them on video and publicly released it. 

When fighting the Mega Shredder they had all been pretty distracted (for obvious reasons) so no one had noticed that sure enough, Jody hadn't left the scene. She'd been a good distance away, so the video wasn't perfect, but it did have a lovely view of the turtle mech (though thankfully not the people inside it because of her position behind it) and of Leo and Mikey. A perfect view of them defeating the monster terrorizing the city, and then the celebratory dance before they took off. 

A view that she seemed to take positively in her post battle broadcast. "And there you have it folks, the monster defeated. And by who? None other than the turtles Muck Man went out of his way to hide. Not killer baby eaters at all, but heroes in themselves. Shy heroes we must assume, or secretive, because they sure didn't stay to bask in the glory. We have to wonder how many times these creatures have saved us from the shadows? This can't be the first, for we've had blurry encounters with them before. Could they possibly have anything to do with the mysterious end to the Krang invasion, or the giant worm attack? Well don't you worry, we'll find that information for you soon, on Grody to the Max!"

"Care to explain?" Splinter asked, making them all jump and dreadfully, slowly turn around from their position in front of the television. 

"Uh, well, you did tell us to save the city sensei." Donnie said with an awkward smile, wilting under his father's glare.

"And we did get everyone home safe." April added brightly, before ducking down behind the couch when he turned his ire her way.

"And we kicked monster butt!" Mikey grinned up, not even worried about the glare. They did good, he knew their dad would get over it.

"And at least the public opinion is favorable this time, sensei." Leo pitched in calmly, not showing his own desire to gloat as their father was fairly close to the edge. Though he did smile when he turned towards the next figure, earning a sharp whack with the stick before Casey started up. 

"We did good! Why do ya always have to focus on the negative, man?" Casey grouched, finally becoming the final target. Raph signed in relief, it wasn't him pissing dad off for once.

"Because this 'negative' has put our entire livelihood, our entire FAMILY in danger. You have all been revealed to the public. They will be watching for us now, even more villains than ever now know of our existence!" Splinter snapped out, even as Casey refused to wilt under his glare, God dammit. 

"Technically they only know of Leo and Mikey, as well as the assumption that at least one person was piloting the turtle mech, though they may not assume that, but assume it was autopiloted." Donnie mumbled, thinking out the scenario before back pedaling at his father's distaste. "Um, sorry sensei."

"Don't apologize D, Casey's right, we did do good. We were gonna HAVE to get outed eventually. We're MUTANT TURTLES, did any of you really think we could avoid getting spotted forever when trying to save the flipping planet?!" Raph belted out proudly. He glanced around the group for a disagreement before his gaze settled. "Dad?"

Splinter sighed, hand on his forehead as he leaned a bit more heavily on his staff with the other. "We are ninja, my sons." He paused, glancing around, "And daughter." April seemed to swell with pride at the addition, Casey sitting up straighter as he realized they were ALL counted in that statement, himself included. "We live in secrecy, thrive and survive in the shadows. We currently have far more enemies than any generation of the Hamato clan has ever faced. We were safer in the shadows, unbeknownst to the public eye, not having them search for us."

"But father," Leo spoke up, "If we have more enemies than ever before, does it not only seem sensible to make more allies as well? How can we do that if feared from the shadows?" 

Emboldened by the 'fearless' leader finally standing up to their 'perfect' sensei, it finally gave Donnie the courage to say one last thing. "Who would want to trust us? The monsters hiding in the shadows..."

This, this made Splinter stop, made his eyes widen. "You are no monster, my son. Different, yes, mutated, yes, but no monster. The evils we fight are the monsters, the ones corrupted within; appearance doesn't effect that." He responded softly.

"We know that, but do they?!" Donnie shouted, glaring at his father. Everyone jumped a bit; Donnie never raised his voice at Splinter. Whatever this was over, it had obviously been bothering him for a while. "What does it look like to them?! We're these things that look so different, and all they ever see us do is sneak around and hide! Because if we plan to help anyone, they do usually see us! But all they see is a glimpse, us beating the bad guy and then running. How can they see us as anything more than violent monsters if that's all we let them witness?!" He was breathing heavy now, standing at the anterior of the couch with shoulder hunched, but never backing down. 

Splinter was quiet for a bit, slowly looking over his family. His ever growing family, still missing one (or more, for all they knew), but beloved and strong. His family that the world had never gotten the pleasure of knowing, of seeing the beauty within. His family the world had hated and feared when seen, before today. 

He thought about what Donnie had said, and made a decision.

"Someday, my sons." He finally said, "Someday the point may come when it will be the right time to introduce yourselves to the world, to try and live your life above, amongst friends. That time cannot be now though. The Krang, the foot, Shredder...you have too many enemies as of now, too many who'd see you or your loved ones harmed the moment your guard is down; Public allies would only be put in jeopardy for being associated with us. But someday, when the danger has decreased and the burdens somewhat eased, maybe it would be best to properly meet the public." He could see the hope in his brilliant young sons eyes, and added, "We shall not deny what they saw nor try to erase it, but we will not add to it. Until the wars are over, it is best we gain allies from the shadows, where we can guard while we hunt. The humans may speculate as they wish, but we will continue as we have for now. And when," he emphasized the when, "we win, we will discuss the future from there."

He was surprised but prepared for the hugs thrown his way. April and Mikey jumped at him, clinging in joy, while Donnie and Raph approached slower for their hug. Raph grabbed Casey as Mikey grabbed Leo and dragged them into the family hug as well. They all squeezed tightly together, joy showing through. "Thank you dad." Donnie mumbled out into his chest, warming his heart.

Splinter loved his family and he would do anything to protect them, even when their own desires put them in danger. It was just part of living after all, and they were right; they couldn't really live life to the fullest hiding down here. He had a feeling though, someday they would. He only hoped he got to see it.

(Authors note: Life's a bitch, ain't it? Death is never pleasant, even for those desiring it. Someone always gets hurt in the end. In this case, everyone was hurt in the end. Yes I'm still grumpy about the season 4 finale, necessary for character growth or not. I don't have to like a plot point to understand its necessity.)


End file.
